Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1887-07-14
Southern California.


it into his head to spell San Diego
SANDY ago" aud the appellatiou struck
so tight that it carried with it the idea
that the prevailing feature of the whole
country was sand. 1t is only within "A
few year. that the error has been dis
PEELED and that San Diego county has
become known to possess vast tracks of
excellent arabic land, and to he valua.
BILE agricul ural county.
Its progress recently in common with
nearly the whole of the southern part Of
the state, has been astonishing 1t has
increased with wonderful rapidity in
population and material wealth, aud is
becoming one of the most important
counties Of the whole state.
The same may be said, and even in a
more marked degree, Of Los Angeles.
The stories told of the vast enhancement
in real estate value and the quicknecs
with which fortunes have been made
there are too we'll attested to be deemed
fabulous, although they sound like a
fairy tale or dream of romance.
The relations of cause and effect are
usually complex. 1t takes a bold man
to say with positive assurance which is
cause and which effect in many cases,
and this is notably SO in Southern Cali
iornia. For instance, the business Of
the Southern Pacific Company in that
portion of the state has increased 81 per
cent in four years, and yet it is conceded
that the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fegets the cream Of the whole. Has
increased business made railroad COM
petition, or has competition made increas
ed business? Who will venture to
answer? The fact is that each has sort
Of reflex influence, and that they are
mutually helpful and beneficial.
There is one thing, though, that is
certain, and which this city and its vicin-
ity would do well to heed, and that is
that the southern country has not devel.
oped itself. The air OF San Diego was
just as balmy and the sunshine Of Los
Angeles just as bright when Dana loaded
hides along the coast in 1884 as it is
to-day. So, too, the harbor Of San
Francisco was just as secure when Sir
Francis Drake anchored in it Gf he did
as it is now. California has had every
natural advantage which she now pos.
sesses for centuries, may be for cycles.
What, then, is it that develops and
improves a state or city? 1t is the
industry, the enterprise, the judgement
of the people, and nothing else. 1t is
the iudicious expenditure Of money in
such a way as to make town or city
attractive, healthy, comfortable and de.
sirable, that makes it 90 ahead.
The contrast between the Southern
California way and the San Francisco
way Of doing things is decidedly striking.
There they are willing to put some con.
fdeuce in the future; here, we must see
dividend in sight before we will expend
adollar. There, they will build road
which will carry 100000 people to the
top Of mountain every year here, we
have to have the whole 100000 in sight
before We will break ground for road.
There, they adopt plans for sewerage
and advertise for proposals here, We
Introduce resolution Of inquiry into the
Board Of Supervisors, and then hem and
haw and postpone and consider and re-
consider, and then the thing falls
through.
The French proverb declares that one
cannot make an omelette without break
ing eggs. We cannot make prosperous,
fourishins city without spending money
and taking some chances on the future.
So long as we keep on in the old way we
simply vegitate; If We want to grow we
must take a leaf out OF the book of
Southern California, and, in many re
spects, initiate the example which it has
furnished.